Archery bow with nocking point on the bowstring

ABSTRACT

A nocking point is attached to an archery bowstring. The nocking point has a collar secured to the bowstring and an integral guide that extends laterally away from the bowstring along the rear side thereof to define a nock-receiving portion adjacent to the collar. The laterally extending guide in cooperation with the crimped collar and the nock of an arrow prevent the bowstring from rotating or twisting during use. The nocking point may have two spaced split collars adapted to be secured to the bowstring and be interconnected by an integral guide that defines a nockreceiving portion between the two collars.

United States Patent 1 Chesnick 1 June 3, 1975 1 ARCHERY BOW WITH NOCKING POINT ON THE BOWSTRING [76] Inventor: John C. Chesnick, 4070 Marshall,

Wheat Ridge, Colo. 80033 [22] Filed: Aug. 16, 1971 [21] Appl. No.2 172,125

[52] US. Cl; 124/23 R; 33/265; 124/30 A; 124/35 A [51] Int. Cl. F41b 5/00 [58] Field of Search.... 124/30 R, 30 A, 30 B, 23 R, 124/24 R, 41, 35', 32/66 3,340,862 9/1967 Saunders 124/30 A Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant ExaminerWilliam R. Browne 7] ABSTRACT A nocking point is attached to an archery bowstring. The nocking point has a collar secured to the bowstring and an integral guide that extends laterally away from the bowstring along the rear side thereof to define a nook-receiving portion adjacent to the collar. The laterally extending guide in cooperation with the crimped collar and the nock of an arrow prevent the bowstring from rotating or twisting during use. The nocking point may have two spaced split collars adapted to be secured to the bowstring and be interconnected by an integral guide that defines a nockreceiving portion between the two collars.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures llll.

.lmlllilui ARCHERY BOW WITH NOCKING POINT ON THE BOWSTRING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to archery accessories and more particularly to a novel and improved, positively positionable nocking point for bowstrings which is adapted to guide and support the nock of an arrow in precise desired alignment for release from the bow.

2. Description of the Prior Art It has become common practice for archers to utilize reference means, normally called a nocking point, on bowstrings to assure consistent positioning of arrows on the string. Prior art nocking points have been designed for this sole purpose, but it has been found by applicant that a nocking point if properly designed can be used to satisfy other useful purposes. More specifically, applicant has found that by properly designing the nocking point, he is able to provide a device that not only assures consistent positioning of arrows on the bowstring, but also prevents the bowstring from twisting and stabilizes the peep or sight, which is a viewing aid commonly integrated into or attached on the bowstring above the nocking point, to help the archer in aligning arrows with a target.

Applicant is aware of various embodiments of nocking points which may be either permanently or adjustably affixed to the bowstring, but none is designed to do any more than assure consistent positioning of arrows on the bowstring. For example, a typical very crude form of nocking point has been achieved by knotting the bowstring thereby creating a reference point on the string. This practice is objectionable, however, because it is difficult to properly locate the knot on the bowstring and the knot tends to distort and weaken the string.

Another typical basic prior art form of nocking point is achieved by wrapping tape or string around the bowstring to create a raised bead or reference point on the string. This type of nocking point is undesirable because of its temporary and unreliable nature in that the tape or string has a tendency to fray or unravel.

Another typical nocking point which is somewhat more permanent but no more reliable has been created by threading rubber bead, having a through bore, on the bowstring. The bead, however, undesirably tends to migrate along the length of the bowstring. This nocking point has the desirable feature that it can be positively positioned along the length of the string, but it serves no other purpose than to provide a reference means on the bowstring for consistent positioning of arrows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Desirable features of any nocking point are that it be a one-piece construction, relatively inexpensive and simple to manufacture and install, and once in place be capable of being moved along the length of the bowstring to change the nocking position without sacrificing the capacity to be positioned at any one location. The nocking point of the present invention not only satisfies the above criteria but in addition has guide means for preventing the bowstring from twisting and thus stabilizing the peep on the bowstring when an arrow is held in place at the nocking position. It is conventional in the fabrication of bowstrings to integrate the peep into the bowstring at a location slightly above the nocking position. The peep is provided with a viewing aperture through which the archer may sight to help align the arrow with his target. Typically, the peep is integrated into the bowstring in such a manner that twisting or rotative movement of the bowstring causes a corresponding movement of the peep. This, of course, is undesirable inasmuch as it is important that the peep remain substantially motionless to provide a stable sight for the archer.

The nocking point of the present invention, in addition to having means for positively positioning the nocking point along the length of the string, has an alignment guide or tail which extends somewhat axially of the string and laterally away from the bowstring in a direction such that the center line of the viewing aperture in the peep would lie in a common plane with the alignment tail and the string. With this arrangement an arrow placed in the nocking position, so that the notch in the nock of the arrow is fitted over the bowstring and the alignment tail, would be pointed along a path either parallel to or converging with the viewing path through the peep aperture and in a common plane with the bowstring and the viewing path. Thus, an archer when aiming an arrow at his target and using the nocking point of the present invention would automatically prevent the bowstring from twisting and would consequently hold the peep motionless with the peep aperture directed at his target.

The nocking point of the present invention is disclosed in two preferred embodiments. The first embodiment is characterized by an attachment means that engages the string at a single location and has the alignment tail extending laterally away from the string and longitudinally a short distance along the rear side of the string. As will become evident with the detailed description hereinafter, this embodiment can be used when the bowstring is manually drawn and released by an archers fingers or when a release aid is used to draw and release the string. The second embodiment of the nocking point is positively attached to the bowstring at two spaced locations and the alignment tail extends between the spaced locations along the rear side of the bowstring. As will be explained later, this embodiment is most effectively used when the bowstring is manually drawn and released by fingers placed on either side of the nocking point.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a nocking point for bowstrings which includes means for stabilizing the peep when an arrow is held at the nocking position.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a nocking point for bowstrings which includes means for retaining the peep in a properly oriented direction and also has the capacity to be positively positioned at various locations along the length of the bowstring.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a nocking point for bowstrings which has means for preventing the bowstring from twisting when it is drawn in use.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a nocking point for bowstrings which has a collar that can be crimped onto the bowstring for positive attachment thereto and an alignment tail that is secured to the collar and extends away from the bowstring as well as along the rear side thereof to define a nocking position.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved nocking point for howstrings which is simple in construction, easy to attach to the bowstring, and inexpensive to manufacture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a bowstring having one embodiment of the nocking point of the present invention operably attached thereto and a release aid positioned adjacent the bowstring.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the nocking point of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the nocking point of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of a bowstring having a second embodiment of the nocking point of the present invention attached thereto.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of the nocking point of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the nocking point of FIG. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring first to FIG. 1, a preferred form of the nocking point 10 of the present invention is shown attached to a bowstring 12 having a peep 14 conventionally integrated therewith for unitary movement with the string. The peep 14 is a viewing device which has a deep hole 15 through which the archer sights to more accurately aim at his target.

The nocking point 10 is best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 to include a split collar 16 which is generally U-shaped in cross-section thereby having two terminal ends 17. The nocking point has a pair of integral depending ears 18 extending laterally away from the collar in a slightly diverging direction so that when the ears are pinched together, they will rotate into flush abutting relationship to one another. The depending ears when pinched together, as shown in solid lines in FIG. 3, define a flattened alignment tail or guide 20 which is approximately equal in width to the diameter of the bowstring 12 and extends laterally away from the bowstring a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the bowstring. It is to be understood that the term longitudinally as used in the specification and claims with regard to the nocking point, unless otherwise designated, means in a direction parallel to or axially of the bowstring when the nocking point is mounted on the bowstring, and the term laterally when used with regard to the collar means in a direction normal to the bowstring. It can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 that the alignment tail 20 extends down from the collar 16 in a longitudinal direction along the rear side of the bowstring 12 defining a nocking position 22 on the bowstring below the collar where the nock 24 of an arrow 26 (FIG. 1) can be positioned. The width of the elongated notch (not shown) in the nock of the arrow is such that it fits over the bowstring 12 and the tail 20, but the nock is prevented from upward movement by the collar 16, the outside diameter of which is greater than the width of the notch. It will be appreciated that the tail 20 in cooperation with the bowstring 12 at the nocking position 22, provides a means for preventing the bowstring from twisting and for stabilizing the peep 14 with regard to rotative movement. More specifically, the tail 20 and the bowstring 12 at the nocking position are displaced longitudinally of the arrow an adequate distance so that the bowstring is prevented from twisting relative to the arrow when the arrow is in the nocking position. It of course follows that the peep 14 is then prevented from rotational movement.

When attaching the nocking point 10 to the bowstring 12 the bowstring is inserted through the split in the collar 16 and the collar is moved longitudinally along the string to the desired nocking position. The nocking point 10 is then crimped onto the string with pliers or other suitable means by pinching the cars 18 together thereby moving them from their phantom line position in FIG. 3 to the solid line position. When so attached, the nocking point is positively positioned on the string and will not move until the ears 18 are again separated. It is important when attaching the nocking point to the string that the tail 20 and the string are aligned such that the center line of the peep hole 15 lies within a plane containing the tail and the bowstring. Thus, when an arrow is positioned at the nocking position so that the notch in the nock of the arrow is fitted over the bowstring and the tail 20, the peep hole 15 will be convergingly pointed at the target with the arrow or along a path parallel thereto and in a common plane with the bowstring and the arrow.

The nocking point 10 can be used when the archer is manually releasing the bowstring, as when he places fingers around the bowstring on either side of the nocking point and holds the arrow in place with his thumb, or when he is using a releasing aid 28 such as seen in FIG. 1 to draw and release the string. The releasing aid 28 is conventional and includes a handle 30, a leather guide arm 32, and a cord loop 34 which is adapted to pass around the string 12 and the guide arm 32 where it can be held in the phantom line position (FIG. 1) by the thumb of the archer until it is desired to release the string. It will be noted that the release aid 28 engages the bowstring on only one side of the nocking point as distinguished from the manual method of drawing and releasing the bowstring where the archers fingers engage the bowstring on both sides of the nocking point. Regardless of which drawing and releasing method is used, the nocking point 10 allows the arrow to be smoothly released from the string free of any vertical or horizontal oscillation.

From the above description, it will be appreciated that the nocking point 10 has several desirable features. First the nocking point has the ability to be positively positioned on the bowstring by crimping whereby there is no chance of the nocking point migrating along the length of the bowstring with repeated used. Secondly, the tail on the nocking point enables the archer to prevent the bowstring from twisting and to retain the peep hole 15 in directed alignment with his target which provides a decided advantage over the prior art nocking points. Thirdly, the nocking point 10 is versatile in that it can be used when manually drawing and releasing the bowstring or when a release aid is used.

A second preferred embodiment of the nocking point of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 and is designated 40. The nocking point 40 is seen in FIG. 4 attached to a bowstring 42 which has a peep 44 conventionally integrated therewith for unitary movement with the string. The nocking point 40, best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, can be seen to have two spaced split collars 46 and 48 which are each generally U-shaped in cross-section and are integrally joined together adjacent the split in each collar by rearwardly extending ears 50. The cars can be seen in FIG. 6 to extend laterally away from the collars in a slightly diverging direction so that when the ears are pinched together they will rotate into flush abutting relationship. The ears 50 when pinched together, as seen in solid lines in FIG. 6, define a flattened alignment tail or guide 52 which is approximately equal in width to the diameter of the bowstring 42 and to the notch (not shown) in the nock 54 of an arrow 56. The alignment tail can be seen to extend parallel to the bowstring 42 along the rearward side thereof and defines a nocking position 58 on the bowstring where the nock 54 of the arrow 56 can be positioned. The tail preferably extends laterally away from the bowstring a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the bowstring.

As with the nocking point 10, the tail 52 of the nocking point 40 in cooperation with the bowstring at the nocking position provides a means for preventing the bowstring from twisting and for stabilizing the peep 44 with regard to rotative movement when an arrow is in the nocking position of the peep hole in the peep so that it is pointed in the direction of his target.

The outside diameter of the collars 46 and 48 of the nocking point 40 is greater than the width of the notch (not shown) in the nock 54 so that an arrow in the nocking position 58 is positively positioned between and guided by the collars. It can be seen in FIG. 4 that the collars are spaced a distance substantially equal to the diameter of the nock of an arrow thereby defining a slot to provide a positive guide for the arrow when positioning the arrow on the bowstring. Inasmuch as the nock of the arrow fits very closely into the slot between the collars on the nocking point, it is preferable that the bowstring be drawn by uniform pull on either side of the nocking point to prevent the nocking point from being vertically cocked thereby pinching the nock of the arrow between the collars and causing an oscillated release. The nocking point 40, therefore, is not designed for use when a release, such as the one designated 28 in FIG. 1, is used to draw the bowstring by pulling on only one side of the nocking point, but is designed primarily for use when the bowstring is manually drawn and released by fingers placed on both sides of the bowstring.

Various modifications changes, and variations of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from what is considered to be the subject matter of the invention. It is, therefore, desired that the scope of the invention be determined only from the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an archery bow wherein a bowstring is stretched between opposite ends of the bow and an arrow has a nock at one end provided with a notch to receive the bowstring, the improvement comprising:

a nocking point attached to the bowstring including a collar affixed in surrounding relation to the bowstring and an alignment tail connected to and extending from said collar in closely spaced parallel relation to the bowstring, and said alignment tail further extending rearwardly of the bowstring to define a nocking position on the bowstring adjacent to said collar and insertable with the bowstring into the open notch at the end of the arrow to prevent twisting of the bowstring relative to the arrow when the arrow is positioned on the nocking point.

2. In the archery bow of claim 1, wherein said alignment tail extends beyond the collar in parallel relation to the bowstring.

3. In the archery bow of claim 2, wherein the rearward extent of the alignment tail is approximately equal to the diameter of the bowstring.

4. In the archery bow of claim 2, wherein said alignment tail is approximately equal in thickness to the diameter of the bowstring.

5. In an archery bow wherein a bowstring is stretched between opposite ends of the bow and an arrow has a nock at one end to receive the bowstring, the improvement comprising:

a nocking point attached to the bowstring including a pair of spaced collars affixed in surrounding relation to the bowstring and an alignment tail extending between the collars in parallel relation to the bowstring, and said alignment tail further extending rearwardly of the bowstring to define a nocking position on the bowstring between the collars for insertion along with the bowstring into the nock end of the arrow to prevent twisting of the bowstring relative to the arrow when the arrow is positioned on the nocking point. 

1. In an archery bow wherein a bowstring is stretched between opposite ends of the bow and an arrow has a nock at one end provided with a notch to receive the bowstring, the improvement comprising: a nocking point attached to the bowstring including a collar affixed in surrounding relation to the bowstring and an alignment tail connected to and extending from said collar in closely spaced parallel relation to the bowstring, and said alignment tail further extending rearwardly of the bowstring to define a nocking position on the bowstring adjacent to said collar and insertable with the bowstring into the open notch at the end of the arrow to prevent twisting of the bowstring relative to the arrow when the arrow is positioned on the nocking point.
 1. In an archery bow wherein a bowstring is stretched between opposite ends of the bow and an arrow has a nock at one end provided with a notch to receive the bowstring, the improvement comprising: a nocking point attached to the bowstring including a collar affixed in surrounding relation to the bowstring and an alignment tail connected to and extending from said collar in closely spaced parallel relation to the bowstring, and said alignment tail further extending rearwardly of the bowstring to define a nocking position on the bowstring adjacent to said collar and insertable with the bowstring into the open notch at the end of the arrow to prevent twisting of the bowstring relative to the arrow when the arrow is positioned on the nocking point.
 2. In the archery bow of claim 1, wherein said alignment tail extends beyond the collar in parallel relation to the bowstring.
 3. In the archery bow of claim 2, wherein the rearward extent of the alignment tail is approximately equal to the diameter of the bowstring.
 4. In the archery bow of claim 2, wherein said alignment tail is approximately equal in thickness to the diameter of the bowstring. 